Massacred

[Blue bantum]

I have lost my 17 laying hens in early spring. Then after really reinforcing the run, something slaughtered the 15 replacements. Is there something that would kill on this scale besides a dog ? The attacks happened during the daylight hours i believe as the bodies were strewn all around the large pen not just in the coop.

 

[DobieLover]

I have lost my 17 laying hens in early spring. Then after really reinforcing the run, something slaughtered the 15 replacements. Is there something that would kill on this scale besides a dog ? The attacks happened during the daylight hours i believe as the bodies were strewn all around the large pen not just in the coop.

Sorry for your losses. That's terrible.
How did you reinforce the run? Can you post pictures?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is there something that would kill on this scale besides a dog ?

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

So sorry for your losses.

Something in the weasel (mink) family maybe?

Are you able to post pics of your set up so we can see possible entry points? Also adding your general location to your profile might help peeps to make the most relevant suggestion possible at a glance.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I'm so sorry for your losses

Do you have foxes or coyote? Both are usually nocturnal but will hunt in daytime if they've got young to feed or are competing for food with several other predators.

I'd run electric fencing and consider a game camera at this point. That's a lot of birds to lose

 

[Blue bantum]

Thank you all. I live in the desert in New Mexico. I have a 6 foot weld wire fence with 3 foot chicken wire attached to keep little ones in. Then I attached about 4 foot of weld wire to the outside ground all the way around the fence because it dug under the first time. After that it found a place I would never have imagined it could get through and pushed in the wire. I'll see if I can post some pics.

 

[50-45-1]

The attacks happened during the daylight hours i believe

This sounds like you are not 100 percent sure that it did not happen at night.
Do your chickens get locked up at night?
How old were the 2 batches of chickens? Chicks or adults?
What were the injuries found on the dead chickens bodies?
There are to many possibilities until we narrow down the specifics.
Photos would really help.
Sorry for the loss of your birds.

 

[minaayindra]

I have lost my 17 laying hens in early spring. Then after really reinforcing the run, something slaughtered the 15 replacements. Is there something that would kill on this scale besides a dog ? The attacks happened during the daylight hours i believe as the bodies were strewn all around the large pen not just in the coop.

I’m SO sorry!

 

[BlueBaby]

Thank you all. I live in the desert in New Mexico. I have a 6 foot weld wire fence with 3 foot chicken wire attached to keep little ones in. Then I attached about 4 foot of weld wire to the outside ground all the way around the fence because it dug under the first time. After that it found a place I would never have imagined it could get through and pushed in the wire. I'll see if I can post some pics.

What is the size of the holes in the welded wire that you used?

 

[Parront]

I vote neighborhood dogs. They roam in the day time and can nose into small spaces. Next step: electric fence?

 

[Aunt Angus]

That is just awful! Im so sorry...